Device for working in ceramics



May 19, 1953 L. ADAMS 2,638,653 DEVICE FOR WORKING IN CERAMICS l FiledJune 27, 1951 l 5 Sheets-Sheet l May 19, 1953 ADAMS 2,638,653

l l DEVICE FOR WORKING IN CERAMICS Filed June 27. 1951 s sheets-sheet 2My 19', 1953 L. ADAMS 2,638,653 n DEVICE FCR WORKING IN CERAMICS FiledJune 27, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 19, 1953 UNITED STATES PTENTOFFICE DEVICE FOR WORKING IN CERAMICS Leonard Adams, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application J une 27, 1951, Serial No. 233,715

17 Claims.

My device relates generally to the art of pottery, and in particular tothat branch of the art known as ceramics.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a combination devicewhich shall enable the ceramist to perform all of the various operationsrequired in the forming of ceramics.

Another object is to provide a device of this nature having a potterswheel and a variable speed drive mechanism for the wheel which aremounted in a case adapted to be supported in twopositions atsubstantially right angles to each other, to facilitate some of thevarious operations possible with the device.

Another object is to provide a speed control for the device which may beoperated either by foot or by hand.

A further object is to provide a device of this nature which issubstantially self-contained and is portable so that it may be used atany desired place in, for instance, a home by a ceramist. Moreover, mydevice is simple in design, durable in operation, and of such a naturethat it may be easily and quickly adapted to the speciiic use of theceramist.

The above objects and advantageshave been accomplished by the deviceshown in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is -a side View of the device, partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, also partly in section; Fig. 3 is afragmentary side sectional elevation showing the device set up for useas a lathe;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly broken away, of the arrangement shown inFig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of my device set up anddesigned to be used as a igger;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a front face view of the vdevice showing it as a slip mixerand 'also showing the device adapted to be controlled by means of thefoot of the operator;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the invention as shown in Fig. '1;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged plan view partly in section of the foot controlmeans;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the foot control means;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line XI-XI ofFig. 2; and,

Fig. 12 is 'a fragmentary sectional view of the foot control means andis taken on line XII- XII of Fig. 9.

My device comprises a casing l5, preferably of wood, which houses thepower and speed control means. The casing is provided with two sets offeet I6, arranged on adjacent sides so that the' casing may be placed intwo positions at right angles to each other for most convenient locationfor performing various operations.

Arranged over the o-pen top of the casing I5 is a top plate 20 having aperipheral ange 2| which is secured to the casing. The plate is alsoprovided with a side wall 22 which is preferably inclined somewhat asshown in the drawings and which together with the bottom wall l1 forms adrainage trough 23. This trough Iis annular -in form and extends fromthe side wall to a point below the periphery of the wheel 24. Thecentral portion 25 of the top plate is raised above the bottom of thetrough, whereby liquids being thrown from the wheel or being depositedin the top plate will be collected in the trough and conducted therefromby means of a drainage pipe 26 (see Figs. 3 and 4) which is connected toa sump 30 formed at one side of the trough. f

The wheel 24 is carried at the center of the top plate and is suitablymounted upon an antifriction bearing 3l, the inner race of which issecured to the wheel by means of a bearing ring 32, the outer race ofthe bearing being suitably mounted within the raised portion 25 of thetop plate, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The power means for driving the wheel 24 is, for clearness ofillustration, not shown in the drawings, but may be in the nature of asmall electric motor suitably connected to a power transmission ortorque converter 33. This torque converter is a standard article ofmanufacture, 4and will, therefore, not 'be described -in detail. It isof the type which is controlled lby the oscillation of its control shaft34. The drive shaft 35 of the converter is arranged in coaxial relationwith the wheel 24, and it is connected thereto by means of a two-partwheel shaft 40 having parts 41 and 46. These shaft parts are connectedtogether by means of -a clutch formed by a torque 45 and an engaginggroove 46. The part 41 of the wheel shaft is mounted within a bore 4lformed in the bearing ring 32, and it is connected to the bearing ringand to the wheel by means of a pin 42 carried by the ring and disposedwithin a diametrcally arranged slot 43 formed in the upper part 41 ofthe clutch wheel shaft. The shaft parts 41 and 48 are each formed with aclutch flange 44 and 50, respectively, between whch is disposed thespaced arms'52 of a clutch cam yoke 51. These arms extend forwardly froma yoke 53 which has a control rod accessi;

54 attached thereto. The end of the control rod extends forwardly beyondthe outer conines of the casing where it is provided with a co-ntrolknob 14. From Fig.y 1 it will be observed that the arms 52 of the clutchcam yoke are joined to the yoke 53 by means of cam surfaces 55 wherebythe parts 4l and i8 of the shaft 4B may be separated. by pushing the rod54 inwardly, thereby causing the tongue 45 to be disengaged from thegroove 45, and the whee124 thereby disconnected from the drive shaft 55of the torque converter. A helical spring 45 is arranged between thebearing ring .72 and the flange 'd'4 of the part 4l of the wheel shaft,whereby this part of the shaft will be urged downwardly so as to bringthe tongue l5 thereof into engagement with the slot 46 of the shaft partw38 when registering position and when the clutch cam yoke -is moved toitsl inoperative position.

`An opening 55 is provided at the front of the casing |5 over which acontrol plate 60 is mounted. This control plate is provided with ahoriontally arranged slot 6i in which a control arm 52 is disposed. Thisarm consists of a sleeve 63 within which a control stud 6A is -slidablymounted. The inner end of the control stud is attached to a torquevcontrol arm 5", which is connected to the control shaft 34 of theconverter. (A helical spring 65 is arranged between the leg 5B of thetorque control arm 65 and the inner end of the control'sleeve 53 tocause thesleeve to be urged outwardly upon the stud-64. A frictioncollar lil is-adjustably mounted upon the inner end of the controlsleeve, and bears against the karcuate surfaces of two spaced controlflanges 5l which are carried by the control plate and are extendedinwardly into the interior of the casing. The bearing surface of thecollar is faced with suitable friction material. Under normalhandcontrol conditions, the helical spring 65 serves to press thefriction collar against the inner faces of the control flanges, so as toincrease the frictional contact and thereby retain the control arm inits adjustedposition. A control knob 'i3 is preferably attached to theouter end of the control sleeve to facilitate its convenient operation.

The control plate has a handle lug 'i5 at each end thereof, and a handle'i6 is-pivctally attached thereto by means of pivot studs 85 whichpassthrough the handle and into the lugs. These studs-providemeans forholding one end of Ythe sleeve of Aa wire foot control, to behereinafter described Y 4-In Figs. 1, 2, 7, 9, and U11, the device isshown as arranged for manipulation by the footofthe operator, and thewire-control from the foot control disc `of Figs. 9 and 10 is shown asbroken off but leading to the control platerof the' device, as shown inFig. '7. V'As here shown, 'the wire 82 of the control -is attached to awire stud 8| which engagescre'gistering apertures formed in the'controlsleeve 63 and in the control stud 54. As clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2,and llglthese aperturesY are in yregistration when `the sleeve yispushedminwar'dly sofas to disengage y'the friction collar 'l0 fromthecontrol flanges 57. When so engaged, the wire 8'2 of the wire controlis passed through a registering aperture 83 formed in-thewire stud, andin the control stud 54-and sleeve'63. In order to compensate for theangularmovement of the control arm when it is being moved fromone'position to the other b y means 'of-the foot controL'I provide laV-sha'ped Vslot -84 formed in each side of the stud 64 which merges intothe opening formed therein. Thesleeve is also provided with a slot 85through each side thereof at positions which register with the V- shapedslots a4 when the sleeve is pushed inwardly to its foot controlposition. The control wire is of the customary Bowden type which has aexible sleeve or sheath 86 surrounding and slid'ably supporting the wire8-2. As shown in Fig. 11, the :outer end of the *sleeve 86 is mountedwithin a recess 95 formed in the pivot stud 80 and it is secured inplace by means of the set screw 9| Vpositioned in handle lug 15 and thestud '85. Provision is made for the attachment of this end o'f theBowden wire control at either side of the device, each of the pivotstuds and adjacent handle lug vbeing provided with a screw-threadedaperture for the reception of the set screw 9|. After the sleeve andwire have been assembled, the wire 82 is fastened lin position by meansof a set screw '92 which passes into the bottom of the wire stud 8| andis brought to bear against the wire mounted in the aperture of the stud.VVh'en the device is set up x'for the foot control, it will loe obviousthat the friction 'collar T0 will be spaced from the control flanges,and that 'the control of the arm t2 will be under the influence of vthefoot control mechanism.

The foot control mechanism comprises a base |39 which providedpreferably with rubber feet 93 so as to prevent its slipping when 'beingoperated. The control disc 54 is rotatably 'mounted upon Yth'e'base 52and 'is 'preferably `fitted 'into an annular recess 95 vformed in the'base. The disc is provided with an annular groove 95 'for thereception'o'f the`wire`82 of thecontrol. Thebase is also formed with anaperture |55 'extending across from one side thereo'fto the other and islocated 'tangentially with `respect to the groove 95. The y'aperture'|50 is provided at each of its outer ends with 'a counterbore |0| 4forIthe reception'o'f the outer end ofthe sleeve 85 ofthe control. A set"screw T02, engageablewith either aperture |03 formed 'inthe base,serves to lclamp the sleeve 86 in position. The adjacent end of thewire' ispre'ferablyformedwithan inturned end "|'0"4 which engages /witha =radial aperture |55 formed in the disc Aand lin'registratio'n withthe groove 95. Thedisc is forrnecl'on its upper surface with aynumber ofradiating vanes |06'to receivethe footcf "the operator in substantiallynon-slipping manner. Obviously, whenthe disc is'tobeactuatedthe operatortwists his foot in either direction 'to brin-g about the desired `speedof thewheel.

An electric switch ||l is 'carried by the' control plate "at a positionpreferably underneath the control arm, and this is suitably 'connectedin well known manner to the control motor ofthe devi'ce (not shown) 'andto a suitable sourc'eof electricenergy. l

Theiiange 2| of the top plate 2li is provided at each corner withfascrewthreaded aperture |2 for the reception of one 'of anumb'er ofposts H3.. These posts, are shown in Figs. 3, v5 and 7, extend asuitable distance above the vflange oi' the plate and serve to supportVarious parts of the'm'achine whlebeing used. A yoke' |'4 serves toconnect threeof'the 'posts when they are attached to theange,"and`this`yoke comprises three yoke arms H5, a yoke head ||5 at theend of each of Athe and ayo'ke hub |20 at the center 'tlfiereof`-AEach'of the yoke heads I6 is -fformedlw'th-a slot|2|-vv and a clampingbolt |22 is passed through the slotted portion, whereby'each of the yokeheads may be securely clamped in position upon the engaged post. Aclamping screw |23 is carried by the yoke head for clamping a number ofthe parts of the device in operative position. y

In order that the ceramist may use the device for accomplishing varioussteps and functions in his art, I provide a number f components whichform parts of the complete combination. For instance in Fig. 5, I showthe device arranged to perform -a jiggering operation and two posts ||3are used. If desired, the yoke ||4 and the three posts may be used. Ashere shown, a tool supporting bar |25 is provided, one end thereof beingpivotally mounted in a pivot block |26 whereas the other end issupported within a slot |30 formed in a stop block |3|. The bar carriesa jigger blade |32 which is held in place by means of a jigger clamp|33. The pottery being formed by the jigger is shown at |34. The pivotblock |26 and stop. block |3| are each mounted upon one of the posts||3, which, for these operations, are arranged diametrically oppositeeach other. So as to be vable to accurately determine the posi- -tion ofthe jigger tool when the workpiece is finished, I provide a stop screw|35 which is carried by the stop block |3| and which limits the downwardmovement of the pivotally mounted tool supporting bar |25. The bar isprovided at its outer end with a hook |36, which may be brought intoengagement with the adjacent post ||3 to a hold the bar in its 'inactiveposition, as shown in l dotted lines in Fig. 5, thereby givingunhampered access to the table. Each of these blocks is provided wi-th aslot |31 which merges into the bore |40, and a clamping screw |4| passesthrough the slotted portion of each, whereby they may be clamped to theengaged posts at any desired position.

When the ceramist desires to use the device as a lathe and to produce anobject similar to that shown in Fig. 3, all three of the posts |3 areused together with the yoke ||4. When the device is to be used in thismanner, the pivot block |26 and the stop block |3| are engaged with twoof the posts on the same side of the device, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.The tool supporting bar is then clamped to the side faces of theseblocks by means of clamping screws |4| and wing nuts |42.

When the lathe of my device is to be used, a tool rest |43 is providedwhich is carried by the supporting bar |25 and whichv comprises a toolrest block |44 suitably clamped in desired position to the supportingbar. A toolA rest post |45, which is preferably a part of the toolblock, carries a tool rest |46 and a clamp screw |50 for securing thetool rest in desired position. For this opera- :tion a dead center |5|is employed to support the outer end of the workpiece or the core |52carried by it. This dead center is carried by a rod |53 which is passedthrough the yoke head |20 and is secured in place by means of the screw|23. While this operation may, if desired, be performed with theworkpiece in a vertical axial position, it may in some cases bepreferable to operate upon the workpiece with its axis in a horizontalplane. To this end the casing may be turnedthrough 90 and the wheel 24supported on its horizontal axis. The screws |4| of the stop block andpivot block are extended beyond the blocks so that when the casing is inthis horizontal position, these screws will rest upon the supportingsurface (not shown) and thereby steady the outer projecting end of vthedevice.

' In order to provide means whereby the ceramist may mix his slip to aliquid consistency, I provide, in the periphery of the wheel 24, anumber 0f radially arranged apertures |54 for the reception of the lowerinwardly bent ends |55 of a number of rods |56. These rods are extendedupwardly and pass lthrough suitable clamping means |60 which are engagedwith the upper edge |6| of a container |62. The upper ends of the rodsare screwthreaded and provided with wing nuts |64. The slip to be mixedis placed within thecontainer, and the rod |53 is secured in :the yokehead |20 and is extended well into the container where a paddle |63 isdisposed. The paddle |63 is nonrotatably secured to the lower end of therod |53, and it may be disposed in any desired position within thecontainer and secured in such position by having the rod |53 clampedwithin the head |20 of the yoke by means of the clamp screw |23.

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that when the potters wheel is tobe used, the control knob '|4 is pulled out to connect the torqueconverter to the wheel shaft and the desired speed of the wheel iscontrolled by adjustment of the control lever 62. Should, however, it bedesired to use both hands to manipulate the material being fashioned,the foot control means, illustrated in Fig. 9, are employed. It shouldbe noted that for convenience of illustration,l the control lever isshown in its middle position, and it is obvious, that this lever ismovable from one end of the slot 6| to the other in adjusting the speedof the wheel.

When the device is set up for foot operation and it is desired toactuate it by hand, the wire control 82 is disconnected from the controlplate by loosening the set screws 9| and 92 and by re-g moving thecontrol wire with its sleeve, after which the wire stud 8| is removedfrom the registering apertures in the sleeve 63 and stud 64. This willpermit the helical spring 66 to push the sleeve outwardly so as to bringthe friction collar 10 into engagement with the faces of the controlflanges 1| which will cause the control arm to be retained. in any ofits adjusted positions.

When it is desired to stop the rotation of the wheel for any purposewhatever, it is not necessary to interrupt the rotation of the motor andtorque converter, since the control rod 54 may be pushed inwardly todisconnect the clutch and allow the drive shaft to rotate freely withoutactuating the wheel 24. When it is again desired to cause the wheel torotate, it is only necessary to pull outwardly on the control knob '|4which will bring the clutch cam yoke to its inoperative position andpermit the engagement of the clutch.

When theceramist desires to mix glaze, the device may be used as a ballmill. When so used, the receptacle |62 may be clamped to the wheel asherein described and as shown in Fig. 7. Obviously, the paddle |63 androd |53 are not used for this operation and the top iof the container isprovided with a cover (not shown). The device is then pla-ced upon itsside and the container rotated to grind the material in well knownmanner.

My device is so compact and the materials which are being handled are socontrolled and restricted to their zones of operation that the wholedevice may be used at any desired and convenient place, for instance,the ceramist may take the device into a living room and there performall of the operations desired without fear of disturbing thesurroundings or the soiling of floor coverings or furniture.

the disc with the control plate and the control lever, respectively,whereby the lever may be actuated by a twisting movement of the foot ofthe operator.

10. A device for working in ceramics comprising a casing, a stationarytop plate mounted upon the casing, a potters wheel rotatably supportedby the top plate, the top plate having three triangularly positionedthreaded apertures, three posts engageable with the threaded aperturesfor extension in a direction normal to the top plate, and stationaryattachment blocks adjustably carried by the posts for securing variousworking tools thereto.

1l. A device for working in ceramics comprising a casing, a stationarytop plate mounted upon the` casing, a potters Wheel rotatably supportedby the top plate, a variable speed torque converter mounted within thecasing and having a drive shaft and a separate control shaft, a twopartwheel shaft for connecting the wheel to the drive shaft, a clutchassociated with the wheel shaft and formed between the parts thereof,means for actuating the clutch to connect and vdisconnect'. the wheel toand from the drive shaft of the converter, and means connected to thecontrol shaft for controlling the speed of the converter.

12. A device for working in ceramics comprising a casing, upon thecasing, a potters Wheel rotatably supported by the top plate, a variablespeed torque converter mounted within the casing and having a driveshaft and a separate control shaft, a twopart Wheel shaft, one part ofthe wheel shaft being reciprocally mounted, a clutch mounted between theparts of the wheel shaft, cam means disposed between the adjacent endsof the wheel shaft parts for actuating the clutch to connect anddisconnect the wheel to and from the converter, and means connected tothe control shaft for controlling the speed of the converter.

13. A device for working in ceramics comprising a casing, a stationarytop plate mounted upon the casing, a potters Wheel rotatably supportedby the top plate, a torque converter mounted in the casing and having adrive shaft and a separate control shaft, a two-part wheel shaftconnecting the wheel with the converter drive shaft, a clutch cam yokehaving spaced cam arms disposed between the adjacent end of the Wheelshaft for connecting and disconnecting the parts of the latter, andmeans connecting to the control shaft for controlling the speed of thewheel.

14. A device for Working in ceramics comprising a casing, a stationarytop plate mounted upon the casing, a potters wheel rotatably supportedby the top plate, a torque converter mounted in the casing and having adrive shaft, a two-part Wheel shaft connecting the wheel with astationary top plate mounted l il the converter drive shaft, one part ofthe wheel shaft being secured to the drive shaft, the other part of thewheel shaft being slidable within the hub of the wheel and having adiametrically arranged slot in its upper end, a stationary diametricallyarranged pin carried by the hub of the wheeland slidably engaged withthe slot formed in said other part of the wheel shaft, the adjacent endsof the Wheel drive shaft parts being formed with coacting clutchsurfaces, and means for engaging and disengaging the clutch surfaces.

15. A device for Working in ceramics comprising a casing, a stationarytop plate mounted upon the casing, a potters wheel rotatably supportedby the top plate, the top plate being formed with a side wall and anannular drainage trough, the top plate having three triangularlypositioned threaded apertures equidistantly spaced from the the axis ofthe wheel, a number of posts engageable with the threaded apertures forextension in a direction normal to the top plate, and adjustableattachment blocks carried by the posts for securing various Workingtools thereto.

16. A device for working in ceramics comprising a casing, a stationarytop plate mounted upon the casing, a potters Wheel rotatably supportedby the top plate, the top plate having a number of threaded aperturesequidistantly spaced from the axis of the wheel, a number of postsengageable with the threaded apertures for extension in a directionnormal to the top plate, stationary attaching blocks adjustably carriedby the posts, and a tool supporting bar secured to the blocks, andforming tools carried by the bar,

17. A -device for working in ceramics comprising a casing, a top platemounted upon the casing, a potters wheel rotatably supported by the topplate, a torque converter mounted in the casing and having a drive shaftand a contro1 shaft, a wheel shaft connecting the Wheel with theconverter drive shaft, a control plate carried by the casing and havingan elongated slot, a control lever mounted within the slot of the plateand having its inner end connected to the control shaft, a foot contro1formed with a rotatable disc, and a push-pull wire engageable with thecontrol lever at one end and having its other end disposed within anannular groove formed in the disc, whereby the control lever may beactuated by rotation of the disc by the foot of the operator.

LEONARD ADAMS.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,613,500 Chamberlain Jan. 4, 1927 2,066,288 Hall Dec. 29,1936 2,174,061 Perney Sept. 26, 1939 2,272,422 Miller et al. Feb. 10,1942

